It’s come to my attention this morning that I’ve lost loved ones to the COVID19 conspiracy theories. And I’m devastated by it. As I was researching ways to more effectively communicate with them, I found these quotes meaningful:

2/ “I’ve learned that conspiracy theorists are often neither malevolent nor unintelligent. Rather, many are afraid of their own powerlessness, and these theories offer them a semblance of control. Believing that Covid-19 was perpetuated by organizations with evil intentions...”

3/ “... allows conspiracy theorists to affix their anxiety onto a big, bad villain, rather than acknowledge our collective powerlessness against the whims of nature. It helps allay existential fears regarding the indifferent, arbitrary universe we live in...”

4/ “...I recognize these emotions because I have seen them time and time again in my patients who are hesitant to heed medical advice, either due to misinformation or due to a reluctance to change their habits.” -Dr. Yoo Jung Kim

5/ “... “The average Covid-19 conspiracy theorist has probably never received the training needed to interpret complex academic papers. I couldn’t send them one of the dozens of research articles I’ve read over the past months and expect them to grasp its nuances...”

6/ “...Yet, if I were to challenge them on their beliefs, it wouldn’t be surprising if they accused me of being the one who hadn’t done my due diligence in researching Covid-19...”

7/ “...Conspiracy theories abound because they are easy to understand and fit neatly within their own twisted internal logic. The truth is often hopelessly complicated, but the best lies are simple and easy to believe.” -Dr. Yoo Jung Kim https://undark.org/2020/06/18/talking-to-covid-conspiracy-theorists/

8/ Follow-up question to you all: how do you handle visit requests from these folks when there’s such a deep divide that could impact your own family’s health? This, and the election in general, is more than a difference of political opinion. It’s about core values and beliefs.